Cap1 culture revolves around hiring young people and having a high attrition rate. They push 10-15% of associates out every year. Doesn't matter if they have great performance, someone has to go. So if you are a team of 8 BAs in one department, at least one of you is leaving at the end of the year. That creates a very toxic environment where people are competing rather than collaborating. This is not an agile environment this is an 1980 policy of ranking people that no one uses anymore. There is a reason a lot of people come in and leave at the 2 year mark, and cap1 is ok with that, they actually designed it like that. Same for senior level same for management level.
It is very common for people to steal your ideas/work/projects to get the recognition. The louder you are the better off you are during the "calibration" hunger games eliminations process.
Moving on to middle management, you have a bunch of 28-29 year old "managers'' running the show. People with as little as 3 years work experience are managing people's career. Your manager is your god. They simply control everything, your career, your projects, your bonus, your calibration, your performance. If your boss doesn't agree with you or you both aren't compatible, well guess what will happen to your calibration, yup bottom of the curve.
The work can be exciting but recently they announced the partnerships exit, I wouldn't be surprised if they start laying off analysts or shall I say be more aggressive in their "elimination" game.
For current and future employees, Know that their performance rating is nothing but a politics game between managers. You are just pawns they are manipulating. If you feel stuck and you aren't on top of the curve, leave! The way they push employees to quit rather then firing them is brutal to your self esteem and mental health. Why won't they fire you? well they will at the end if you just won't quit, but mainly cause they want to maintain a good team morale.
Oh and that is the HR policy, no one will admit it, but it is: Fast in fast out. Hire a lot and push out 10-15% at each cycle out.
Extra tips to win the game of thrones:
- If you work extra hours, you will skew the curve. Now you guarantee you are ahead of the curve. Other associates either have to match your work or they are out. See how the toxic culture starts developing?
- Agree with everything your boss says. DON'T trust your boss. Never be honest with them . They will use whatever you say against you.
- Don't help other associates in the same family group if you aren't getting anything out of it. Wasting a couple of hours here and there will push you down the curve. If you help, make sure everybody knows! Even better tell your boss you did half the work why not.
- Leave. Because everything I mentioned above will make you a bad toxic person. Constantly apply for other jobs.
